M little sister is auditioning for her fifth grade drama team. She has to prepare a piece and perform it. And she has to dress up and use props.
SHE HAS CHOSEN TO DO MOMENT IN THE WOODS FROM INTO THE WOODS. MY 9 YEAR OLD SISTER IS GOING TO BLOW HER AUDITION THROUGH THE ROOF DOING A STEPHEN SONDHEIM PIECE.
I HAVE SUCEEDED AS A ROLE MODEL! And I get to dress her like Johanna Gleason. ...I'm going to be a amazing parent.
They have drama teams in fifth grade now? Well anyways, good luck to her you seem really proud. You do know that this song happens right after she cheats on her husband and has sex with a prince?
"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-
Lol it doesn't just happen after she cheats on her husband but the song is actually about her having just had sex with the prince. Of course out of context it's not overtly explicit and should be fine. Sounds like its going to be fun for both of you.
Apparently, it is said Sondheim is sooooooooo inaccessible, Joanna Gleason has yet to truly understand "Moments In the Woods." The truth is, she just winged it, and it came out fine.
Current scholarly interpretation is that of a harlot having wanton sexcapades in her woods, but they've yet to fully crack the Sondheimenian code.
Tell her to do another song.
Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.
There's really a fifth grade drama team? My school didn't have a drama team until 8th grade. In 6th grade there was a Shakespeare team, but idk if that really counts.
Theatre is my life. No one can take that away from me.
There is absolutely no way that a 9-year-old can even begin to comprehend what the song is about. A child's brain isn't developed enough at age 9 to truly 'get it.'
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
It strikes me as a weird choice but not *so* wrong as it does some here--especially if you cut the beginning part and stick to the gist it could be relatively vague out of context. Not quite Tits and Ass or Paris Makes Me Horny (which *would* be very Toddlers and Tiaras).
No, she won't 'get' the piece, but she's a nine year old performing for fun. I think it's fantastic that she's doing ITW - if she enjoys it that's all the reason she needs to perform it.
And good lord, could some of the comments in this thread be any more obnoxious?
No, she won't 'get' the piece, but she's a nine year old performing for fun. I think it's fantastic that she's doing ITW - if she enjoys it that's all the reason she needs to perform it.
I agree. I just like to hear that there are still kids out there who appreciate shows like Into the Woods.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
I dunno, I think a 10 year old could perhaps "understand" the song and moment well enough for a basic audition where they probably just wanna hear if she can carry a tune, anyway. I first saw ITW at ten, and while I'm sure I didn't get it the way I do now, it's not like the song left me confused or anything (though that is one reason I prob would have been uncomfortable performing it for an audition--gender aside...)
Eh, some kids are precocious, but I don't think this is wildly inappropriate or anything. I saw Evita when I was seven, and if my parents had let me, I would have performed "Buenos Aires" for EVERYONE. I knew all the words, but I didn't know what half of what I was singing. I really don't think any child exposed to "Moments in the Woods" is going to be inappropriately sexualized by it or anything.
What IS a drama team, anyway? Is it a school thing? Is it like middle school drama club or something? I feel so old.
Eh, some kids are precocious, but I don't think this is wildly inappropriate or anything. I saw Evita when I was seven, and if my parents had let me, I would have performed "Buenos Aires" for EVERYONE. I knew all the words, but I didn't know what half of what I was singing. I really don't think any child exposed to "Moments in the Woods" is going to be inappropriately sexualized by it or anything.
What IS a drama team, anyway? Is it a school thing? Is it like middle school drama club or something? I feel so old.
The lyrics of the song are hardly that inappropriate in context, and out of context I think it'll be fine. Good for her for picking something different!